The Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative started in July 2000 as a long-term joint project between The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. Funding support comes from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the University Center for Energy Research at Oklahoma State University.
Report on OWPI Products and
Activities for July 2000 to September 2002 
To initiate and strengthen opportunities for long-term economic benefits from wind power in the State of Oklahoma.
STRATEGIES
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Evaluate the wind resource of Oklahoma.
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Improve the process for wind power mapping.
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Zoom in to find prime areas.
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Prepare data layers for GIS study.
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Evaluate the land use and economics of the regions with good wind resources.
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Evaluate the infrastructure components (transmission lines, roads, etc.) needed for construction and maintenance of wind farms and for getting the power to markets where the demand resides.
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Study federal and states' incentives for renewable energy; study programs in states that have a successful track record in making renewable programs work.
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Estimate the value of this resource in the coming energy market.
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Grow wind power educational resource programs.
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Plant seeds to build technical programs to provide skilled workers in regions with good wind resources by initiating contacts with technical training centers.
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Plan for activities in year 2 and the longer term.
STATEMENT OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES
FOR OWPI ACTIVITIES FOR JULY 1, 2000 TO JUNE 30, 2001
(This is also printed in the OWPI project proposal, Appendix F, in
Acrobat)
- Using 6 years of Oklahoma
Mesonet wind data (10 meters):
- produce an Oklahoma wind power map, with estimated annual average wind power available at 10 meters;
- produce an OK wind power map, with estimated annual average wind power available at 50 meters; and
- produce four OK wind power maps, with estimated seasonal average wind power available at 50 meters (one map for each of these periods: Jan.-Mar.; Apr.-June; July-Sept., Oct.-Dec.)
- Show results of study using GIS data layers (wind power, roads, transmission lines, etc.) to find optimal regions for wind power farms and areas to avoid (wildlife refuges, populated areas, etc.)
- Provide climatological average wind and wind power products (regular wind rose and wind energy rose combination), annual and by season, for OK Mesonet stations in optimal regions, to provide baselines against which tall tower data may later be compared.
- Provide maps and/or tables showing solar energy available at Mesonet sites, averaged over 6 years.
- Provide report on renewable policies in other states and how they might be applied to Oklahoma's wind power policy implementation and incentives for development.
- Provide report on long-term potential spin-off projects and strategies for leading into them.
- Develop web-pages which teach about wind power and Oklahoma's potential for this resource, and which display selected output from this study.
- Form ties for potential K12 and post-secondary educational outreach programs.
- Begin contacts with landowners in optimal regions.
- Install one tall tower (40 meters or more) instrumented with wind-sensors at industry-standard heights (eg: 10, 25 and 40 meters).
- Document tall-tower data collection and analysis plan for FY 2002 activities.
- Investigate sources of funds (eg: USDOE, DOE/EPSCoR) for FY2002 activities.
- Provide and present results from this project, in appropriate format, for the wind-power workshop hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) at the end of FY2001 or beginning of FY2002.